Medical electrical leads implanted in or about the heart have been used to reverse certain life-threatening arrhythmias or to stimulate contraction of the heart. For example, the lead may include an electrode connected to a conductor which can apply electrical energy to the heart to return the heart to a normal rhythm. Leads have also been used to sense in the atrium and ventricle of the heart and to deliver pacing pulses to the atrium and ventricle.
The lead may include an outer insulating body for electrically insulating the conductor and allowing only the electrodes to make electrical contact with the body tissue. The outer lead body may be formed from silicone. While silicone is a flexible and biostable material, silicone can form a tacky surface with a high coefficient of friction, which is a drawback, for example, when silicone is used in proximity with moving parts. A high coefficient of friction may also be a drawback during implantation of the lead. In some embodiments, the lead may be implanted by feeding the lead through a catheter system. In these embodiments, it is desirable that the lead is lubricious enough to slide through the catheter system without sticking. Other implantable or insertable medical devices, such as, gastric balloons, bladder devices and breast implants, may include a silicone substrate that would benefit from a low friction surface.